BMW Manufacturing News Center

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Factory Milestones

2016

• March 17 – 2 Millionth BMW Export is processed through the Port of Charleston.
• January – BMW Announces record production volume achieved in 2015: 400,904 vehicles.

2015

• March 24 – BMW produces 3 millionth vehicle at its South Carolina plant.
• January – BMW Announces record production volume achieved in 2014: 349,949 vehicles.

2014

• December 1 – Production begins on the new BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M
• August 1 – BMW announces start of production for the second-generation BMW X6
• April 1 – Production of all-new BMW X4 and 2015 BMW X3 begins
• March 28 – BMW announces $1 Billion investment, 800 new jobs, X7 model to be added, increased capacity to 450,000 units annually and start of production for the all-new BMW X4

2013

• September 17 – 2,500,000th vehicle is produced, a BMW X5
• August 1 – Production of third-generation X5 begins
• April 3 – BMW awarded OHSAS 18001 certification
• March – BMW announces expansion of hydrogen fuel cell material handling fleet

2012

• December – Record production volume achieved: 301,519 vehicles in one year
• January 12 – 2,000,000th vehicle is produced

2010

• September 1 – Production begins on the 2011 X3
• June 8 – BMW Manufacturing announces production of 1 millionth X5
• March 22 – Production begins on the 2011 X5

2009

• September 8 – BMW Manufacturing celebrates 15 years of vehicle production in SC; Produces 1.5 millionth vehicle
• June 29 – Production begins on X5 M and X6 M
• June 10 – BMW announces expansion to Landfill Gas Program

2008

• August 28 – Last BMW Z4 Roadster produced at Plant Spartanburg
• March 10 – $750 Million Expansion

2007

• December 3 – Production begins on X6 Sports Activity Coupe
• September 20 – BMW Manufacturing ships 100,000th “Next Generation” X5
• January 8 – BMW Manufacturing has been named a ‘2006 Top Plant’ by Plant Engineering Magazine

2006

• September 28 – First “Next-Generation” X5 comes off assembly line
• September 22 – Production of the original X5 ends
• September 21 – BMW becomes the worlds first “green” automotive paint shop utilizing recycled landfill methane gas to power its ovens
• May 2 – BMW Announces that it will use recycled landfill methane gas to power ovens in its paint shop becoming the world’s first “green” automotive paint shop
• April 4 – Z4 Coupe and M Coupe production begins
• February 28 – 1,000,000th vehicle rolls off the line
• January 8 – Updated Z4 production begins M Roadster production begins

2005

• June 9 – 500,000th X5 produced

2004

• November 8 – 100,000th Z4 rolls off the line
• April 1 – X5 4.8is High performance model production begins

2003

• November 12 – Groundbreaking on 400-acre Clemson University Automotive Research Campus (CU-ICAR)
• September 26 – Production begins on the 2004 X5

2002

• October 22 – First Z4 Roadster – Joe Marchese becomes the first person to own BMWs newest vehicle
• September 30 – BMW Manufacturing celebrates its 10th Anniversary in SC
• September 26 – BMW Invests $400 million; adds 400 jobs
• July 11 – Production reaches the half-million mark
• June 28 – The last Z3 Roadster is produced
• April 29 – The second annual BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs raises over $515,000 for Carolina charities

2001

• August – Production numbers for the X5 reach six figures
• April 30 – The inaugural BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs raises $500,000 for local charities
• February – The 250,000th roadster is shipped
• January – Production of the 50,000th X5 is reached

2000

• December – BMW Manufacturing is recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• June – A $300 million plant expansion is announced

1999

• September – Production of the X5 gets underway and the 200,000th roadster is completed
• August 12 – The Plant announces additional 108,000 square foot expansion

1998

• November 4 – ISO 14001 environmental certification is awarded to the South Carolina facility
• May 12 – A plant expansion to accommodate the production of the X5 is announced
• January – Z3 and M coupe begins production

1997

• October 28 – The plant produces the 100,000th roadster
• January – The M roadster starts production

1996

• February – BMW Manufacturing expands investment in South Carolina

1995

• September 20 – The first Z3 Roadster comes off the line
• July 12 – BMW Manufacturing is awarded ISO 9002 quality certification
• March 2 – First BMW 318i assembled in S.C. is shipped. The 23-month span from groundbreaking to the first shipment is considered the fastest automotive start-up in history

1994

• September 8 – The first American-made BMW, a 318i, rolls off the line
• July 11 – Associates begin work in the new facility
• January 4 – BMW hires associates for production

1993

• April 6 – Construction begins on a 1,039-acre site adjacent to Interstate 85

1992

• September 30 – The groundbreaking ceremony for the first and only American BMW factory takes place
• June 23 – Plans to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Spartanburg County, South Carolina are announced